Mechanical hand fan



S. DICK MECHANICAL HAND FAN Filed Oct. 31, 1915 Inventor: M

Amm'e'v.

Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT orifice,

SIMON DICK, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MECHANICAL HAND FAN.

Application filed October 31, 1913: Serial No. 798,444;

To all 00710122, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON DICK, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at 17 Passage des Panoramas, Paris, in'the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanfrom the mechanism, in such a manner as.

to reduce the bulk of the device to the minimum.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and afterwards pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings Figure l is a front elevation of the operating mechanism for the blades which are shown superposed in the inoperative condition.

Figure 2 is a corresponding in section.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation similar to that in Figure 1. I

Figures 4 and 5 are detail views to a larger scale showing the mounting of the blades.

Referring to the accompanying drawings a vane or blade wheel-preferably comprising three blades Z0, is 70 are mounted on a shaft y. This shaft j; which is supported in front by a bracket lb, carries a rigidly mounted pinion i meshing with a gear wheel of larger diameter loosely mounted upon a shaft 9. Upon the shaft 9 is a pinion c and a rigidly connected ratchetwheel m. A pawl it acted upon by a spring 0 is fixed upon the wheel f in such a manner that the pinion 6 drives the wheel f in one direction only. This pinion e is driven by a rack 0 formed upon or rigidly connected with a movable frame a terminating with almob 7). The movable frame is guided between a plate 7.1 supporting the mechanism and a fixed front plate (Z. I

By holding the device between the thumb and the index finger, it is possible. to exert plan partly pressure with the thumb against'the knobb and displace therack o longitudinallyand' consequently rotatethe pinion 6. "This dis placement drives the wheel f and accordingly the blade wheel 70, 70 k by the intcrmediary of the pinion 11 and of the shaft j. The frame a is displaced in the opposite direction by a spring Z whichret-urns'it to its initial position when'the' pressure of the thumb ceases; this spring. is fixed at one of its ends a to the movable frame a and at" the other extremity d to the'fixed plate;

Owing to the inertia of the blade wheel, it is possible by imparting a reciprocating movement to the frame a to obtaina continuous movement of rotation of the blade wheel and consequently a continuouscurrent of air. I t

In order to renderthe device readilytransportable and toconstitute a mechanical fan which can readily be carried the pocket, the blades are constructed in such a manner thatfthey can be folded one upon the other. TVith this obj ect'in view theyare each provided with a hub portion having-a circular orifice and are mounted on a short hollow shaft or sleeve 1" being held in, place on said shaft or sleeve why two washers g and s .which are rendered integral with the shaft '1" by meansfof a set screw t. The

hollow shaft or' sleeve 0 is; adapted to be passedv ontothe end of the shaft j and fits sufficiently tightly thereon. to. revolve therewith and does not require any securing means so that it may readily be removed. therefrom.

One of the fan blades may be fixed on the shaft 7' while the remaining blades are mounted loosely thereon so that they may be rotated to be superposed upon. the fixed.

blade for convenience in carrying. Each of the blades has upon its hub portion a lug or projection '0 which when the. blades are spread apart contacts with. a lug or projection uintegral. with one of the. said washers so that the blades-rotate with the shaft j. It will be understood that the blades are held permanently on said shaft or sleeve 9 by the washers and are removedfrom the shaft j with the shaft 0 in one simple movement.

in. order to make the device small enough to place the device in. the pocket, the blades k, Ac, 7& are folded back one'upon the other by rotation. about the shaft 1 and this shaft is. disengaged from the shaft This. 1'0

tation is effected in the same direction as that of the shaft jin such a manner that when the said shaft is subsequently rotated the blades open out automatically under the influence of inertia.

It should be noted that without departing from the principle of the invention, numerous modifications can be introduced into the device. For example the blade wheel might be replaced by a dismountable propeller screw with an ap ropriate number of blades and the case mlght be provided with a: special pocket forthe reception of the detachable set of blades and so forth. ,From the foregoing explanation it follows that the mechanism is very compact and can therefore readily be placed in a small pocket case from which only the pusher b protrudes.

WVhat I claim'and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a fan, the combination of a fan shaft, a pinion thereon, a reciprocating plunger, a rack on said plunger, a spring applied to said plunger for maintaining the same normally extended, gearing in train I with the rack on said plunger and the pinion'onsaid fan shaft, a casing which encloses said gearing provided with holes through which said p unger and fan shaft project, a fan secured to rotate with said fan shaft, the blades of which are pivotally movable relatively to each other to provideflfor folding and extending said fan blades, means for maintaining said fan blades yieldingly in folded and extended positions. 1 I V p 12.' In a pocket fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft mounted therein and extending through the front Wall thereof, fan blades mounted on the projecting end of said shaft, a pinion on said shaft within the casing, an operating plunger extending through one end of the casing and recipro cable toward and from the fan shaft, means in the casing for normally maintaining the plunger yieldingly extended, a rack carried by the inner end of said plunger, and gearing in train withthe rack'and the pinion on the fan shaft for imparting continuous rotary motion to the fan shaft upon recip rocatlon of the plunger, whereby said fan is adapted to be supported and operated by a thumb, and finger of one hand.

3. In a pocket fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaftextending through the front wall thereof, fan blades mounted on said shaft and capable of relative pivotal movement thereon to provide for nesting the blades when not in use, an operating plunger extending through one end of the casing and reciprocable toward and from the opposite end of the casing, and means in the casing for .normally pressing the Plunger utwardlyand 9 imp a 0011* tinnous rotary motion to the fan shaft upon reciprocation of the plunger.

4. In a pocket fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft extending through the front wall near one end of the casing, fan

blades mounted on said shaft capable of relative pivotal movement thereon to provide for nesting the blades when not in use, an operating plunger extending through the end of the casing opposite that at which the fan shaft is mounted, said plunger being located close to the rear wall of the casing and reciprocable toward and from the fan shaft, and means in the casing for normally pressing the plunger outwardly and for imparting a continuous rotary motion to the blades mounted on the projecting end of said shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a plunger mounted symmetrically astride upon the fan shaft and reciprocablethereon, a rack carried by said runner, and gearing in train with the pinion on said fan shaft, for imparting a continuous rotary motion to the fan shaft upon reciprocation of the plunger, whereby the unitar wholeis adapted to be held between the orefinger and thumb of one hand and operated thereb 6. In a pocket fan, the com ination ofa relatively small casing, a fan shaft mounted therein and extending through the front wall thereof, fan blades mounted on the projecting end of said shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a plunger mounted symmetrically astride upon the axis of said shaft, a controlling rack carried by said plunger, adapted to gear in trainwith the pinion 011 the fan shaft for imparting continuous rotary motion to said fan shaft upon reciprocation of said runner, whereby the fan can be operated by the thumb and forefinger of one hand.

7. In a pocket fan, the combination of a casing, a fan shaft centrally mounted therein and extending through the front wall thereof,'fan blades mounted on the projecting end of said shaft, aplunger mounted symmetrically astride upon the fan shaft and reciprocable thereon, a rack carried by said plunger, and gearing in train with the pinion on said fan shaft, for imparting a continuous rotary motion to the fan shaft upon reciprocation of the plunger, whereby the unitary whole' is adapted to be held between the forefinger and thumb'of one'hand and operated thereby.

8. In a pocket fan, the combination of a 7 small casing, a'fan shaft mounted centrally therein and extending through the front wall thereof, fan blades mounted upon the projecting end of said shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a plunger mounted symmetrically astride upon the axis of said shaft, a controlling rack carried by said plunger, adapted to gear in train with the pinion on the fan shaft for imparting continuous rotary motion to said fan shaft upon reciprocation of said plunger, whereby the fan can be operated by the thumb and forefinger of one hand.

9. In a pocket fan, the combination of a small circular casing, a fan shaft centrally mounted therein and extending through the front wall thereof, fan blades mounted on the projecting end of said shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a plunger mounted symmetrically astride upon the axis of said shaft, a controlling rack carried by said plunger, adapted to gear in train with the pinion on the fan shaft for imparting continuous rotary motion to said fan shaft upon reciprocation of said plunger, whereby the fan can be operated by the thumb and forefinger of one hand.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SIMON DICK.

lVitnesses ARMAND EGHYBY, M. MAonAN'rnR. 

